


Another Man's Treasure

by nanianela



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Castiel, Dean is Bad at Feelings, Lawyer Sam Winchester, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Police Officer Castiel, Police Officer Dean, Post Mpreg, True Mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-03-14 15:19:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3415610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanianela/pseuds/nanianela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel Novak was damn good at his job as a Lupine police officer. He'd defied all the odds and managed to become the youngest and the only Omega high-ranking officer. Then, on a routine drug bust he was captured by the brother drug lords, Michael and Lucifer, and the life he worked so hard for was changed forever.<br/>Dean found Castiel on a back road: filthy, starving, and with three tiny pups. He must stay at Dean's police station until all the media dies down. But the man with such a promising future has been broken down to what seems beyond repair. Who would want a used and tossed aside Omega with three pups, anyway? Well, the thing is...<br/>_____________________________<br/>[this is most likely abandoned for now :/]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not going to lie, this story can get pretty fucked up. There will be extremely dark themes. Please don't read if you think it will upset or trigger you. Thanks for reading~

_Just a little farther._

Castiel's head swam and he had to stumble to a stop, leaning his shoulder hard against a tree as he tried to get a little more breath back. He could smell the tarrish bitterness of a paved road just up ahead, he just had to keep pushing, it was just a little farther...

A tiny squeal sounded from the burlap sling across the werewolf's chest, and tenderly the man cupped and pressed his palm against the tiny pups, all three of them curled up into little black, brown and sandy blonde furballs. The little brown one squealed again, nudging against the burlap with his tiny wet nose, all of their eyes were still firmly sealed shut.

"It's all right," Cas huffed, reaching in to smudge one of their heads with his thumb in the hope to reassure them. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." Black snowflakes were swirling in his vision. He'd gone into labor the day before, and all three of them had been born just four hours ago. He was starving. It had been so long since he'd eaten, and his body was starting to shut down. His pups were starving too, if he didn't get to that road in time, they would all die. On unsteady legs, the man kept pushing forward.  _Almost there, almost...._

Cas finally felt the sticky, hard ground beneath his feet. Thank God this road had been paved recently or he might not have been able to track it from so far away. His knees wobbled and then gave out, and he crawled to the center of the road, a ringing in his ears as he used one arm to shield his pups from falling out of the sling, and the other stretched over the pavement to rest his head on. Time slipped away from him, and he had no idea how long it had been when he saw the glow of red headlights from under his closed eyelids and heard the screeching of car tires. 

"Hey! You there! You all right?" Castiel heard a deep voice bark out, the headlights still blaring in his face. He heard a car door squeak and then slam closed, and he opened his eyes just a sliver and peered through his eyelashes at the man striding swiftly toward him on moderately bowed legs. The car was still puttering on, steam floating away in the light breeze. 

Cas instinctively let out a low growl from the back of his throat and pressed the pups closer to his chest to protect them. He swallowed the growl down again but kept his pups close, and they began to squeal and squirm a little.

"Help," Cas croaked, and he sounded so pitiful to his own ears that he almost felt the onset of tears. 

"Holy shit." Dean looked puzzled as he came even closer. "Oh, shit...Officer? Officer _Novak_?"

Dean had kneeled down and now had his face between his palms. The werewolf's neck rolled listlessly like a doll's. "Holy hell. It really _is_ you. Jesus Christ- we gotta get you to the medic's...and those pups look barely a day old-" Dean supported the back of his neck with his palm, and Cas slumped hopelessly against him. "Come on, now. Just try and walk. Just a little." 

"Four hours." Cas managed to wheeze into his shoulder. "Tell the doctors it was four hours ago." 

"Four hours- you just gave birth four hours ago?" Dean's voice expressed his disbelief, but he couldn't deny he could still even smell it on him, there was no way he could be lying. Castiel began to hear the ringing again and crumpled against him. Dean grunted, having to support his full weight. "Stay with me, Cas. C'mon, we're almost there, buddy-"

The werewolf's blue eyes snapped open, panic pumping through his body as he shot up in a hospital bed, the air was heady with an antiseptic smell. _My pups._ His ribcage flared in and out as his eyes flitted around the sterile room. He felt a pinch in the crook of his arm- they'd set him up with an IV drip. He was overwhelmed with the need to find his pups again, _they've taken them away from me...where are they..._ he was about to tug the cord out from his arm when he heard someone clear their throat. 

He looked over to see a man with sandy blonde hair that was sticking up toward the middle of his head in a fluffy crest and a face full of freckles staring at him. He was wearing a dark navy blue police uniform, with the badge that clearly indicated he was from the Lupine branch. He was sitting backwards in one of the chairs, his arms folded over the backrest. "Hey." He said, and the only thing that clicked with Castiel was his voice. The headlights had been so bright that Castiel hadn't been able to clearly see his face- that and he'd been barely conscious. 

"Where are my pups?!" Cas demanded, frantic. He positioned his arm to tug out the needle once again. 

"A 'thank-you' would have been nice." Dean replied with a soft chuckle, refusing to feed any of Cas's anxiety, "Relax, Officer. All three of your little buggers are fine. They're just in the next room." He jabbed his thumb to the right. "I promise." Cas slowly took his hand away from the drip. It had been a long time since anyone had called him 'Officer'. It felt like a lifetime since he'd actually been talked to with a shred of respect. 

"I can't believe I actually found you, man." Dean began. "Everyone's been looking for you since you disappeared last year. People are damn happy to know you're alive." 

Cas squeezed his eyes shut. All he could recall was that room- that cemented closet of a room, where they sliced up his arms and punched his face, demanding information that he couldn't give. Cas's family was known for being late bloomers. Unlike the usual onset of a heat at around age eighteen, Cas was twenty-one. And when he got his very first heat in that room, bloodied and alone, they'd smelled it and...

"That's also the bad news." Dean huffed. "Media attention- everyone wants your picture, your story... there's a big crowd of paparazzi down in front of the hospital.The doctors here are trying to get them to leave, but- you know how it goes." Cas finally ventured to open his eyes again, and he was met with Dean's face with his benign and easy smile. "That's why I'm here." Dean continued, his voice bringing a great comfort to him. It reminded him of the deep rolling of a car engine. "I'm making sure no one gets in here that's not supposed to be in here." 

"Thank you." Castiel replied, finally sinking more into his bed, his muscles relaxing. For the first time in a long time, he felt tears prickle into his ducts. He had been through so much and been too broken to afford to cry, he'd almost forgotten what it was like. 

"You're gonna be fine, Officer." Dean said softly. There it was again, that title. Cas's chest spasmed with a repressed sob. There were times when he'd been captured that he had wanted to die. When he'd been staring up at the ceiling, his head knocking against the cement wall, unblinking, hollow-gazed as his body rocked and he let them have their way with him- he felt hot tears flood his eyes. He couldn't believe he'd gotten out. He couldn't believe he was alive. 

All werewolves were touchier than humans, but Dean seemed exceptionally so. "You're all right now." He combed his fingers through Castiel's hair with such a tenderness that another sob ripped up his chest. "You can let it all out. I won't tell anyone," He joked. He went to comfort him again with a gentle hand to his shoulder and Cas flinched, but hated that he had. He didn't want this man to see him cry, not after he'd been so strong for such a long time. 

"What's your name?" Cas voice shuddered. 

"Dean," He replied softly. "Dean Winchester." 

"Well, Dean Winchester." Cas began in a voice just barely above that of a whisper. "I don't want your damn pity."

Dean blinked, caught off guard. "I'm sorry, what..?" 

"I need you to leave me alone now." Castiel turned his head away from Dean. 

"Yes, sir." Dean's eyes grew cold. He couldn't understand what Cas was going through. He couldn't even fathom it. Of course he'd had some tough times in his life- his mother being killed when he was very young by werewolf hunters, finding his Dad stone cold dead in the bathtub after a drug overdose and seeing his brother go down that path too. But still- he couldn't imagine. 

"I will be outside the door." Dean explained, pushing on his knees to stand up out of his chair. "The nurse told me she'd be in soon to check on you, and she'll bring the pups by then too." 

Cas nodded, his head bobbing just once. He didn't meet Dean's eyes again, and he listened to the sound of his boots clunking along the linoleum until he was outside. Cas covered his face with a pillow for a moment, hoping to bite back the urge to cry. He noticed the television mounted in the corner of the wall and the remote on the table next to him. He could use a distraction.

The television blinked on to its preset first channel, the news station.

"-not one but _three_ little pups, John, isn't that incredible?" The blonde newswoman spoke gleefully into her microphone. She was in front of some kind of tall, white building. Other news vans and a crowd of people were visible. On the other side of the screen was a dark-haired, grinning anchorman in front of a map. 

"It sure is, Amy. There's been a decline to state if any paternity tests have been run, but here's the facts we do have. Officer Castiel Novak was just twenty-one when he was captured in October of last year during a routine drug bust-"

Oh, _no_. 

_No, no, no,_ this could not be happening. 

He clamped his hand over his mouth in disbelief. Dean hadn't been lying when he warned him about media attention. They even flashed one of his photos on the screen- from his police force inauguration, when he'd been in his best uniform, smiling brightly, the giddiness about the rest of his future clear in his eyes. It felt like a life he'd had once in a dream now. He'd trained hard and finally worked his way up to be one of the youngest Officers they'd had in a long time, and the only Omega to get such an esteemed position. He'd wanted to prove them all wrong. He could defy the odds, break stereotypes forced on Omegas everywhere. People _respected_ him. But now he was a sick joke. 

_See?_ Parents would tell their Omega children. _Remember that policeman? What happened to him? We just can't have you wanting a job like that-_

Cas slammed on the power button to turn off the news show and threw the remote control as hard as he could across the room. It hit the wall hard and plastic pieces flew. The backing for the batteries clattered, one battery rolled along the floor until it was under his bed. The other went in a slow arc before stopping. 

He was damaged goods. No Alpha could ever want him now when he'd already been spoiled, and burdened with three children who would always smell of another man. He'd never be part of the force again, not after the media coverage. He'd thought that after he'd been rescued the feeling would leave, but he still ached for death: he felt it ache deep down into his bones. 

Dean tried very hard to pretend he didn't hear the only slightly muffled, gut-wrenching sobs coming from inside the room. He pretended even more that the only thing he wanted to do wasn't to rush in there and curl the guy up into his arms and tell him things would be okay over and over.

Dean thought Officer Novak was the bravest man he'd ever seen. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel looked at himself if the mirror. God, he looked awful. He'd lost so much weight when he'd been living out in the woods- even if he hunted in his wolf form, as his pregnancy had progressed he'd been able to catch less and less for himself to eat. And he wasn't just eating for two- he'd been eating for four.

His cheeks were covered in scuff, hollowed out, and his cheekbones were more defined than they'd ever been as if he were biting his cheeks. His blue eyes looked dull and the skin underneath was bruise-colored. His scars from the days of interrogation were still there- one thick white one cutting across the tail end of his eyebrow, he doubted he would ever grow hair over that little gap again; a few scars from where his lips had split, a white scar across the bridge of his nose. Checking and then double-checking to make sure the bathroom door was locked, he shrugged off his hospital gown.

He was emaciated- his stick-like arms felt like they didn't belong to him, and his ribs were each a defined stripe jutting out. Yet, his tummy was still relatively soft and round, still returning shape from when he'd given birth. Squiggly stretch marks were carved into his skin just above his hipbones. He sighed. He realized he couldn't quite remember what it was like to feel strong- he used to do twenty pull-ups on a bar hanging over his door just to warm up in the morning. Now, he could barely get out of bed.  

He splashed his face with water and felt his stubble scape along his palms. He was still shaking from earlier, after he'd broken down from seeing his face all over the news. 

He finally went back to his bed, only to find Dean waiting for him already, munching from a pink-and-white donut box that he held in his lap. In one hand was a powdered donut, which was giving him quite the mustache, and in the other he held a steaming cup of black coffee.

He raised his eyebrows and nodded his direction. " 'Ey," He mumbled through his food, then quickly swallowed when he'd had in his mouth. "The nurses told me you've got to stick to your IV and some balanced diet crap, I thought that's bullshit so, uh...feel free to take one of these." He nodded to the box. "I've got chocolate sprinkle, cinnamon sugar, let's see..custard filled too, also a couple donut holes. But those are my favorites, so you've gotta be quick if you want one of those." 

Castiel slowly climbed back into bed and sunk into his blankets with a sigh. One of the nurses had given him an additional blanket, one she said she'd brought from home and was saving for a "very special patient". It was unbelievably soft because of how worn it was. Without saying anything to Dean, he snuggled down and made it so the blanket was touching his face. 

"Well?" Dean prompted. 

"I..." Castiel began. "Yes, thank you. I'd love one." 

"One of my precious donut holes?" Dean asked, one of his eyebrows quirking up.

"Yes." 

"You only want those 'cause I said they're my favorites," Dean teased. "You know, you're kind of an ass." Cas's lips twitched upward briefly and his fingers curled a little tighter over the top of his blankets. 

At least since he'd warned him yesterday Dean had been treating him like a friend, like he was an equal. He hated the fuss people were making over him. He didn't want their pity. He didn't want the looks they gave him, like he was a shelter kitten with one eye. Dean was...he was doing all right. Cas would rather have him, another cop just like him instead of some coddling nurse keeping an eye on the door. 

"Well, you've gotta be quick. The nurse is coming by with the pups soon, she'd probably beat my ass if she saw what kind of crap I was pumping into your delicate little system. C'mon," Dean's white-dusted fingers extended him the little sugary dough ball. Cas took it in two fingers and popped it into his mouth.

" _Mmm_ ," Cas sighed as he tasted the fried dough and glaze melt on his tongue. He found his eyes closing involuntarily, as if he closed off another sense he'd be able to appreciate the taste a little more. Man, he'd missed these things. " _Howy shiff_ ," He'd muttered around the food in his mouth, letting out a few more moans as he chewed very slowly, savoring what he could.

Dean chuckled next to him and another little sticky ball of fried dough was already placed in his hand before he'd even had to ask. 

It had only been around a day but Cas had found already that Dean was good company. There was no way he wanted to turn on the television anymore, and he'd broken the remote beyond repair anyway. Everyone else around the hospital was just too busy to talk. 

"What about your job?" Cas had asked the night before, bleary-eyed as he was nodding off to sleep, watching Dean watching him in the soft yellow glow of the bedside lamp. "You're giving up shifts for me." 

"This is my job. For now." Dean had replied.

Castiel's heart had sunk. "So you're being paid to be here?" He'd asked, his tone a few degrees colder than it had been previously. 

"Hell no," Dean waved that away dismissively. "The police divison made exclusively for werewolves, paying me to sit around here? No, they don't have the funding for that." 

"We still don't have funding?" Cas asked. " _Really_?" 

Dean chuckled. "Nope." 

"What about-" 

"Yeah, that fundraiser flunked. Big time. But really, can you honestly say you expected much out of that thing?" Dean's eyes crinkled up at the corners when he smiled. It made him seem very warm. "I guess you have a lot to catch up with in the world again, huh?" 

"Damn right," Cas replied. Talking about police stuff again- it was almost surreal. Cas loved his cop-talk sessions with Dean: they kept him grounded, made it seem like things could go back to normal. 

Cas scarfed down five donut holes before the nurse came in with the three little multicolored pups wrapped up in blankets. She looked suspiciously at them, mostly because the two of them had looked suspiciously at her first. They exchanged glances.

"Not even going to go there." The nurse laughed. She set down the three small puppies by Castiel, where they burrowed their small noses into his side, squeaking and seeking out his warmth. Their tummies were all very fat, Cas noticed. They must have been given a lot of formula while they'd been here. Cas was immediately transfixed; he reached out and scooped them even closer to his warmth, resting his arms on their small fuzzy backs protectively as they made small squeals and whimper-snorts. His chest flared unexpectedly. 

"It will probably be about a week before they're able to open their eyes, and maybe a little longer than that until they can shift into their human bodies." The nurse explained. "They were all born just a tad premature. But they're all looking very healthy. You're a very lucky man, Mr. Novak." She flashed him a smile and exited the room. 

"Damn, they're cute." Dean smiled and scooted closer. Cas still had to swallow down a protective growl- he knew Dean wouldn't harm them, but he still fought back against his instincts. Dean scratched at the black one's furry rump playfully, and it let out a squeak of surprise. "You name them yet?" 

"Of course I've named them." Cas replied. "I had four hours, after all." He said sarcastically. 

" _Riiight,_ " Dean teased again. "Four hours' time to think all about names and not, like, _survival_ or anything." 

Cas rolled his eyes. "That comment deserves another donut hole." 

Dean handed him another. "So..?" 

"The brown one is named James, the black one is William and the little blonde one is Gabriel." Cas paused for a beat. "After my brother." 

The tone in the room suddenly darkened. "Right." Dean began. "...I heard about him. A while ago." 

"Yes." Cas replied softly, downcasting his eyes to the babies instead of looking at Dean. "It was a pretty long time ago, now." 

"That's why you joined?" Dean asked. 

"Yeah." Cas cleared his throat. "Exactly." 

Gabriel's story had been widespread as well within the police community. Cas had barely been a teenager when his older brother was murdered by the brother drug lords Michael and Lucifer. It was the case that put the two of them on the radar in the first place. After that, Castiel quit high school and worked only toward the goal of joining the police force, starting to train vigorously at the ripe old age of fourteen. 

"I joined after my Dad died." Dean explained. "I was the one who found him. He'd, um, gone just a little too far with MD, and uh...he was gone. My little brother was hooked for a long time, too. He's smart as hell, but- I dunno. That shit just had a hold on him." Dean shook his head. "Ever tried it?" He raised his green eyes to meet Cas's. 

"No." Cas shook his head. MD, or Moon Dust, was the street name for the intense drug that only affected werewolves, and was the most popular by far in the community. Its existence was one of the main reasons werewolves got to have their own police force in the first place. Their department was linked to the human one, somewhat. There were still a few separations, however. They had yet to see any squads of mixed species, and funding for the Lupine division was always much lower than that of the human counterparts. 

 "Good." Dean nodded curtly. "You really should keep it that way." 

Dean gently pet one of the puppies with two fingers, and he paused. "Cas?" He asked, in a way that insinuated that the following question wasn't going to be light-hearted.

"Yes?"

Dean pursed his lips. "I'm just wondering, and I've just been thinking...why...did you..keep them?" He asked slowly, sounding out each word cautiously. 

Cas narrowed his eyes. "Why did I...?" 

"No one would have known." Dean knitted his hands together. "It's fascinating to me. That you did." 

Cas would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it while he'd been pregnant. It would be tremendously easy. He could give birth and then simply leave them to die. He could have drowned them, broken their tiny necks-there were a million horrible things he could have done to them. Dean was right- no one would have known. But when he'd collapsed, contractions wracking his body, breathing heavily, gripping hard to tree roots and wishing, pretending they were someone's hands- he'd had a change of heart. He recalled the whimpering and sweating in agony, the _pain_ , all alone. When he'd just  _felt_ them... felt them leaving his swollen body, felt them breathe and held them in his hands, heard them cry out to him alone-

 "I..." Cas began, licking his lips nervously. "I could never. It wasn't a rational decision, I know. But they are an extension of me, and even though their other halves are..." Cas swallowed and pressed the pups closer for comfort. He could never let anything bad happen to them. "You're an Alpha, and I...I wouldn't expect you to understand." 

"I think it's incredible," Dean replied, his voice genuine and his eyes bright. "You're one helluva good guy, Cas." 

Cas grew silent after that. The compliment had really sunk in deep, and he wasn't used to feeling _anything_ positive about the man he was now. The post-Castiel. How could anyone say something like about the pathetic person he was now? 

Dean wasn't sure if he'd said something wrong. He didn't try to reach out and pet any of the pups again. He stopped eating his donuts and only sipped his coffee.  

"I didn't want to upset you." Dean said softly after a few moments, speaking mainly into his cup of joe. 

"I don't...I don't want you to compliment me." Castiel said, trying to take the mess of emotions he was feeling and actually make sense of what they meant. "Please." 

Dean frowned for a second. "...Fine. If that's what you really want." He agreed, but it was obvious how discontent he was with it. 

Cas pressed his lips together and nodded. He just wanted to be treated like he was _real_. Not like he was some doll who was going to break if it wasn't constantly given it love and compliments and soft things. These people had no idea what he'd just gone through. They had _no idea_ how tough he'd had to be. 

"Jesus _Christ_ ," Dean huffed, setting the donut box aside and standing up. "I'll try. I'm gonna go take a phone call to try and see what we're doing next with you, I'll be right back. But you need to cut yourself some _slack_ sometimes, buddy." He reached out and squeezed his shoulder, took out his phone and exited the room. Cas sighed sadly and buried himself even deeper within his covers. 

* * *

"I'm not sitting in that." Cas complained, glaring at the foldable wheelchair like it was some kind of torture device. All three pups were swaddled up and in his lap, and he was letting one of them gnaw with their gums on his pointer finger. He stroked another tiny head possessively and looked up to Dean, a low growl in the bad of his throat. "I can walk." He insisted sternly. 

They'd decided that he'd live at the nearest police station -Dean's- in the housing unit until he recovered enough to decide what he wanted to do next. Also, with all the media around, it was a win-win to try and offer him police protection. 

 "I _know_ you can walk." Dean replied just as sternly as he crossed his arms. "That's not the issue here. That crowd down there have been waiting for days for their one shot at getting you on camera or shoving a mic in your face and asking questions. You really think you can get through all that _with_ the babies in your arms? Come on, Cas. You gotta be rational, now." 

Cas huffed and gave the wheelchair another glare. "I'm only getting in that thing when we get to the lobby. I can walk the rest of the way." 

Dean shrugged. _Damn, this guy's stubborn_. "Fine. This is what's happening- we just gotta get through that crowd to that black SUV out front. A woman from my police squad is going to be driving it, her name is Charlie and she's fucking great at anything that requires hand-eye coordination cause of all the video games- you know what, never mind, you'll meet the whole crew later. _Anyway_ , she'll get us out of there no problem. But while we're getting through that mess down there, don't answer any questions, don't say anything...put a hand in front of your face if you can. Don't worry, it'll all be over in thirty seconds, tops." Dean quirked an eyebrow. "Any other questions?" 

Cas shook his head and eased off the bed. The pups had already gotten quite a bit bigger in the three days he'd been there, and it was a little hard trying to carry all of them at once, especially without his sling to hold them in place. One whined loudly as Cas accidentally squeezed him a little too hard up to his body as he tried to keep another one from slipping down. 

Dean raised an eyebrow at him, crossing his arms. "Get in the chair, Cas." He nodded toward it.

"I think _you're_ the one who's the ass," Cas mumbled unhappily as he did what he was told and eased into the chair, repositioning the pups comfortably on his lap. 

Cas thought the scene he faced was near apocalyptic. As Dean wheeled him closer to the front glass doors, they slid apart smoothly and a torrent of people with mics and cameras rushed forward like hungry zombie reporters. Flashes spotted his vision, and Cas snapped his eyes shut and brought a palm up to shield his face. The squabble turned into more of a roar. He felt a fuzzy microphone bump against his palm, and questions flew, his name imbedded in every single one of them. 

"Mr. Novak, can you give us a recap as to where you were kept for the past _eleven_ months? Any thoughts on this drug war-" 

"Castiel, would you make a quick statement about pro-life, seeing that against the odds you've made a heroic decision in regards to-" 

"What can you tell us about the effects of MD on the Lycan community?" 

"Mr. Novak! Can you-" 

" _Hey_!" Dean bellowed from behind him. "Clear the fucking way! The guy just gave birth, where's your damn respect?!" 

Cas lowered his hand just a little to see the promised vehicle, that shiny black SUV. They were so close, but so far. 

The foam of a mic hit hard against Cas's cheek, and he jumped in surprise. 

"Get the fuck away from him!" Dean snarled, grabbing the man's face in his palm and shoving it away. Hands grabbed at him, and he shoved back, all while keeping one hand wrapped around the back of Castiel's wheelchair handle. The cameras flashed at twice the rate from before. A scuffle was always juicy material.

Dean grabbed a few pointed camera lenses and shoved them away, leaving the cameramen reeling. 

"Fuck," He huffed, anger making red splotches on his cheeks and on his neck. He opened up the car door, and he may or may not have bumped it into another reporter. "Get in." He demanded, and he helped scoop up one of the pups as Cas stepped up inside the car. The door slammed with a whump and the loud squabbling from outside was thankfully cut short into creamy silence. 

"Hiya," A bubbly redhead piped up from behind the driver's seat. She waved and smiled. "I'm Charlie. Nice to meet you." 

Cas gave her a half hearted smile and a tiny wave before he looked outside, where Dean was shoving another reporter away from him as he made his way to the other side of the car. "Fucking touch me again and I'll- goddammit, clear the way!" 

He finally slammed the door and scooted into the car with an angry huff. "Thanks for the pickup, Charlie." 

"Anytime, boss." Charlie grinned and made a little salute, putting the stick into drive. "Can't wait to see what the media makes of that little scuffle you had back there. They'll probably make it seem like full-on Battery." 

Dean rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it," He griped and ran his fingers through his hair. "Fuck. I mean, what else was I supposed to do?" 

Charlie chuckled. "Dean-o. You haven't changed a bit since I first met you." 

"You okay, Cas?" Dean turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder. 

Cas nodded, still a bit shell-shocked. "Fine," He mumbled, staring at his lap. 

"Christ," Dean shook his head, and scooted closer. "Sorry about all that." He pulled Cas into a hug, Cas's face pressing up against Dean's throat, where his scent was the strongest. He breathed in, calming himself down and Dean cradled the back of his neck and drew him in closer. He ran his fingers through the hairs on the back of his head a few times before Dean finally pulled away. 

 "You'll get to meet everyone at the station soon. You'll really like everybody, I promise. Charlie's my right-hand woman most of the time. We've got the same schedule and usually cruise together. Jo's practically my sister. She can kick my ass, though. Hard. Her brother Ash works the database, computer stuff out in the office with Bobby. He's practically my second dad. Bobby married Jo's mom, so Ellen's sort of a mom to me too.  That's our full-time crew. There's others who come by sometimes. My brother Sam's out of the slammer soon. Hey, you'll be part of our surprise party!" Dean now seemed incredibly enthusiastic compared to the disheveled grump he'd been a few minutes ago. "Say, what do you want to eat for dinner, Cas?" 

But he'd already fallen asleep, slumped against the door. 

"Awwww," Charlie chuckled from the drivers seat. "Cute." She remarked. "He's kind of a dreamy guy, right Dean? Literally!" She snorted at her pun. 

" _Shud_ -dup," Dean snapped. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Notes on werewolf behavior: Nose touches_  
>  Werewolves in general are more "touchy" than human beings. They also have a few gestures that they do as both humans and wolves, which includes touching noses with a family member or close friend. It's similar to a reassuring shoulder squeeze, or a form of hug (for goodbyes or hellos).

"We're here, sleepyhead." Cas's shoulder was being shaken by a hand much too small to be Dean's. His eyes just barely peeked open and he saw that little redhead again, the one who had been driving. She beamed at him, and she was much shorter now that she wasn't behind the wheel. 

Cas groaned and his hands fluttered for the pups resting on his stomach, and he jerked awake when he didn't feel them there. 

"It's okay. Me and Dean carried them into the house. Those little buggers fell asleep too." Charlie wrapped her arm around his midsection and helped to support him to climb out of the car. She was surprisingly strong for her size, and he felt very comforted by the scent of her- she was an Omega as well. Being around Alphas too much put him on edge. 

"I don't usually fall asleep like this," Cas explained almost guiltily. "Those thirty seconds felt like..." He shook his head. Those thirty seconds felt like they'd lasted hours. 

"I think you were overwhelmed." Charlie offered politely, her voice calm and steady. "You don't have to do anything but rest for the next couple of days. You can get your strength back." 

Cas nodded wearily and observed his surroundings. Like most of the state, mist-laden tall pines encompassed most of the area. There was the front of a brick police station with a flag fluttering along on the steel flagpole, and as they went through to the back area there was a one-story brick building. 

"Welcome to the humble abode," Charlie motioned toward it. "Us full-timers don't really have a life outside of the job, as depressing as that sounds. Dean, Sam, Jo and I live here. It's not too bad, actually. I mean, they're my pack so..." She shrugged and flashed another smile. "Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em, right?" 

Cas nodded. He hadn't had a very structured pack in a long time. For a while it had been him, Gabriel and Ana. Then Ana disappeared, and then Gabriel died. He had just started bonding with his police team when he'd been taken away. The thought made him sink a little lower into himself. 

They finally got to the door, and Charlie knocked. "Boss?" She called cheerfully. 

His voice came faintly through the wood. "Just a second! Don't come in yet!" 

"Why do you call him 'boss'?" Cas asked, cocking his head to the side as the two of them waited on the doorstep. "I thought you two were partners." 

"We are." Charlie laughed. "It started out as a joke. Now it's more of a term of endearment. He doesn't mind." 

Cas noticed the scarred ring of teeth marks on the side of her neck as she turned to look at the door, peeking just out from the hem of her T-shirt. His heart sank.

Of course.

Of course Dean already had a mate. Who was he kidding? He was just being friendly. It's not like any Alpha would look at him and want damaged goods over some beautiful virgin without scars all over his face and stretch marks from a pregnancy with pups that would never smell like him. Cas ran his thumb over his soft tummy, frowning and feeling a bitterness like bile rise to his throat. Of _course_. 

Dean finally swung open the door, a little out of breath. "Hey," He grinned toothily and tried to lean nonchalantly on the door. 

"Dork." Charlie chuckled and tipped her head up to press the tip of her nose to his. "You softie," She whispered into his ear for just him to hear, and he scoffed and playfully shoved her into the house. 

Cas avoided eye contact with him. He was naïve for agreeing to come to this housing unit, for thinking anything was going to work out for the better for him. 

Dean clapped him happily on the back and lead him into the house, and Cas cringed away from his touch only slightly, but just enough for him to notice. Dean looked confused for a second, trying to search Cas's face for some kind of explanation. Cas looked away. 

"Well...Ta da!" Dean swept his arm across something he'd obviously tried very hard to put up in the last few minutes as Charlie had gotten him out of the car.

There were numerous laundry baskets filled with all kinds of supplies- boxed diapers, packaged bottles of baby formula, pastel onesies and teeny tiny socks and caps. Binkies, blankets, rattles and teething toys. Above that was a large, bright yellow poster that said "Thank you for your service!" in huge black letters in the middle, and nearly every square inch was covered with tiny, scribbled notes and signatures. The red-head and Dean both were watching him very closely, waiting for his reaction.

"They're all from the Lupine community." Charlie explained. "They held a baby drive for you the whole time you were in the hospital. People really-" 

Cas flushed with embarrassment. "Take this down," He growled and interrupted her, turning away.

The two of them were shocked. "We thought..." Dean began. 

"I don't want to see that ever again." Cas seethed. Instead, he breathed in to try and scent and locate his pups. He swiftly left the room, he wanted nothing but to hold his tiny sons in his arms again. 

Dean and Charlie exchanged glances. Dean bit down on his jaw and ran his palms down his slightly scruffy cheeks. " _Fffuck_ ," He breathed into the triangle of his palms. He went to try and follow Cas, but Charlie grabbed his bicep when he tried to pass her. 

"Just let him be for now," She was disappointed too, he could tell as she looked up and him and sighed. "It was a really nice gesture, Dean. I...It _really_ was, okay?" 

Cas found the his bed room had been done up for him already also. There was a twin bed made neatly for him, as well as a round dog bed with plush, half foot walls big enough for his wolf form to curl up in. The three round-bellied puppies were in the dog bed, making small noises and beginning to squirm around, and Cas rushed to them and scooped them up so he could feel their warmth press up to him once again. Gabriel yawned and Cas gently pet the small golden head with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I let them take you away from me," Cas whispered. He realized the double meaning of what he'd just said. He was apologizing for the short time they'd been in this room without him in it, but he also recalled his older brother again as well.

"Gabriel," Cas breathed again, shutting his eyes and leaning back against the wall as he let a puppy gnaw with their soft gums on a finger. "I miss you. I wish you were here to tell me what to do." He let out a shaky breath. "I'm lost, Gabe."

He needed to leave here, Cas thought. He was being a burden on Dean and Charlie and everyone else who lived here. He'd never belong. He just needed to get out, go _somewhere_ else than here. 

Cas quickly transformed into his alternate form, a long-haired black wolf that was only a bit bigger than a Great Dane. He gingerly stepped into the dog bed and curled up around his pups, nudging them closer to his belly and its warmth with his nose. He closed his eyes and sighed with a snuffle. For a second, he pretended this was all a bad dream that would be over soon. 

* * *

 Dean picked up on the very first ring. 

"Hey," He said casually, as if he hadn't been waiting by the phone for the past five minutes and gravitating toward it for the past hour. He was restless, pacing around the house. First, Cas hadn't reacted in the way he'd hoped with the gifts from the community and had locked himself away in his room, and then for icing on the cake, his angry face was all over the news. Sam was right on time, 5 o' clock, just like he'd said. 

"Hey, Mr. Celebrity." Sam was barely containing his laughter. "I think you've gotten me a bit higher in the ranks around here. These guys think you're badass. Too bad I'm getting out of here so soon," He chuckled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Four days is already too long, so shut up." He then paused. "They really think I'm badass?" He couldn't help but grin, cupping the phone close to his face. He couldn't wait to get Sam to live here again, God, he missed him so much it ached. 

Sam just laughed. "Shut up. Turn on channel 5. I'm watching it from the lounge from the phones. I just can't really see the top left corner, so if anything interesting happens in that corner you'll have to let me know." 

"Prison's made you more sarcastic." Dean joked, flopping down on the couch and reaching for the remote. 

" _You're_ the one who's more sarcastic," Sam quipped back. Dean could just imagine his bitchface.

"That dosen't even-"

"Just _watch_." 

Dean watched as flashes strobed across poor Cas with his palm in front of his face and his head bowed, and a small growl vibrated in his throat. Dean then watched as the camera was obscured by an orangey-pink palm as his fingers curled around the lense, people whirling by as he'd shoved it out of the way. Great, him just short of snarling with teeth bared was captured at every single angle imaginable. They replayed him sort of hitting a guy as he opened the car door for Cas again. They showed a bit more footage of reeling cameras as he grabbed them and shoved them away. 

"Peachy." Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"If you need someone to sort out some things in court for you, I can start working on some defenses now." Sam's voice came over a bit quieter and fuzzier than before. "I'm always so bored here. I managed to get a good stockpile of cigarettes going from yard gambling. They're currency here. But even that got boring 'cause there's not much you can trade them in for, anyway. Except smuggled drugs and blowjobs. And before you ask, Dean, _yes_ I've stayed the hell away from _both_ of those." 

Dean had to smile at that. "Atta boy," He was always amazed at Sam's ability to get him to crack a smile even after an awful day. 

"Think someone really is gonna try and sue me?" Dean asked, absent-mindedly chewing on his lip as he watched more of the scuffle play out on the television. 

"No," Sam seemed to think for another second. "Hm, maybe. I hope." 

"Why'd you have to be a _lawyer_ , of all things. And I get that you want to show off your talents, but I wish it was like...painting me a picture or something, not gambling me off in court." 

Sam was smirking, Dean knew. "Jerk." 

"Shut up, bitch, I'm listening to that part where they compare me to the Hulk again." Dean grumbled, and Sam belly-laughed.

"So, four days." Dean mumbled. He didn't want to wait even that long.

"Yup," Sam replied. "God, I can't wait for the _cooking_." 

"You'll probably enjoy having those little pups around, too. They're cute as hell. They haven't opened their eyes yet, but soon they'll be crawling and running all over the place." Dean smiled. It couldn't hurt to have a little bit of life breathed into this ol' place for once.

"Right. Cas." Sam's tone seemed to get more somber. "Look, Dean, we gotta talk about him."  

"What about him?" Dean asked in a hushed voice, cupping the phone closer and narrowing his eyes. "He's _staying_ , Sam, if that's what you're talking about." 

"No," Sam began. "That's not what I'm talking about. Look, anyone with eyes can tell you've got a thing for him. He's your type too, and before you ask _yes_ I know you have a type: dark-haired, light-eyed, and pretty faced with tough guts. Just don't-Dean, _don't_. Not right now." 

Dean's heart sank to his stomach and he couldn't process the words being said on the television anymore. "What are you talking about?" He retorted defensively. 

"He's gonna be messed up for a long time after this, Dean. He needs to cope, y'know, with the real world again." Sam took a deep breath and let it out in a fuzzy, staticky sigh. "And I can't just let you be that guy who steps in and tries to fix him and winds up making things worse. When you can't fix him right away it's going to kill you, and it's going to kill _him_ because he can't be fix himself fast enough for you. You _can't_ fix him, Dean. That's up to him. Not you."  

Dean didn't realize how hard he'd been biting down on his jaw until he had to unlock it to speak again. "You think he doesn't need a friend right now, Sam? _Really_?" 

"He does need friends." Sam replied softly. "He doesn't need a _boy_ friend, is what I'm saying." 

"I know how to keep it in my pants." Dean growled.

"Fine. Listen." Sam paused, using his 'I'm about to compromise' tone. "Wait until I get there. Just four days. Then we'll see. Just hold out on him for four days, Dean, please. Just let him be until then." 

"I'm not some...mindless Alpha that wants to fuck anything that moves!" Dean snarled this time. " _Sam_ -"

"Stop being so hot headed, okay? I never said that. Please. Just promise me you're not going to try and be involved with Officer Novak, not until I come home." There was a long pause between them. "C' _mon_ , Dean, this isn't that hard." Sam whined. 

"Fine." Dean huffed. Him arguing with Sam left a bitter taste in his mouth, especially because of how happy he'd been just minutes ago. "Fine, Sammy. I'll take your advice." 

"Great." Sam replied. "Four days." 

"Four days." Dean echoed. He waited. "I miss you, you Sasquatch-lookin' son of a bitch."  

 "Miss you too," Sam replied, without even tacking on an insult. "I'll see you soon, brother." 

"See you soon," Dean replied. The both of them waited for the other to hang up, the white static still on the line. Dean knew Sam was just working up the courage to say something, he could imagine him nervously wetting his lips and he heard a small, tense breath. 

"...I wanted to thank you." Sam said in a voice barely above that of a whisper. "I'm not angry anymore, and I...I... just yeah. Thanks." 

_Click._

Dean hung up the phone too, and slid down to sit on the floor with his back pressed to the legrests of the couch. He curled his knees up and rested his forehead on the hard bones there, closing his eyes tight and hugging himself close. He just let himself breathe for a moment. 

Sam thanked him. In _words_. After close to a year.

Even after what he'd done. 

" _Ffuck_ ," Dean hissed for the second time that day. 

* * *

"Be good," Cas whispered to the three puppies as he made sure they were comfortable in their new sling. It was made of a soft nappy, and much nicer than the one he'd made before, which had been made of the burlap bag they'd put over his head when they'd dragged him into the woods to shoot him. Cas shut his eyes- he'd rather not recall that memory again now. "Be good for daddy, okay? Don't move around too much, James. Will, stop chewing on your brother's ear. You all should sleep now." 

He perked his ears to make sure he could make a quick escape: Charlie was out, and the hissing of the shower water meant Dean was in the bathroom. He simply stepped out of the  front door, and softly shut the door. The cold knob burned in his hands before he finally let go. Every footfall crunched along the gravel as he got farther and farther away, just wandering, just planning on following wherever the roads took him. It was colder out here than he'd thought it was going to be, and the mist was crawling low along the ground. Cas shivered and kept pushing on. 

........

"Cas?" Dean rapped on the door with the back of his knuckles. "We'll have some dinner ready soon if you want some. Jo made it. She'd really like it if you could come out and meet her- and immediately compliment her cooking, heh. It's not _nearly_ as good as when I do it, though." He listened intently for any kind of response- nothing. He closed his eyes and inhaled: the scent of the newborns was fading, and there were no warm bodies inside the room. Dean stiffened. 

"Cas?" He called out again. He tried the doorknob, and the door fell open easily. The bed he'd made for him was taken apart, the blankets all folded neatly on top of a bare mattress. Everything was neat and tucked away. The pups were nowhere to be seen or smelled. He'd split, Dean knew. 

"Son of a bitch," He muttered to himself and strode back to the kitchen were he snatched up his keys. Jo was humming to herself in the kitchen, and his stomach gurgled in protest when it caught another whiff of dinner. Dean closed the front door and wrenched open the car door. "Don't be too far, Cas." He muttered to himself and started the ignition. 

It had gotten very dark by the time Dean finally found him walking along the side of the road at a snail's pace, his headlights illuminating his back. Dean didn't say anything as he slowed the car's speed to a crawl and puttered along next to him for a few feet before putting the car into park. Cas stopped walking too, but refused to look at him and turned his face away. 

"Hey." Dean said softly, hooking his arm out of the car window and patting the metal. "Hop on in. Dinner's getting cold." He said casually, as if he hadn't been panicked and searching for him for the past two hours. 

Cas paused before turning his way. His eyes were glassy from tears that had ended a long time ago, his gaze weary as he rested his hand over his sling. "Stop pretending you care about me." Cas croaked. 

"I _do_ care about you." Dean just short of barked. "I...ever since I saw you laying in the middle of the road I-"

"You think I'm fascinating. _Interesting_. You said so yourself. You want to know my motives, why I'm doing the things I'm doing. You don't care about me, Dean. And you..." Cas took in a deep breath. Dean thought it was very obvious he'd been preparing this speech in his head the whole time he'd been wandering. But now that it was actually show time, he'd forgotten it. 

"Look." Cas breathed. "You already have a mate and a perfect pack and a steady job. You have a great life, Dean. You don't want me in it." He pressed his pups closer to him protectively.

Dean's eyebrows scrunched together. "What are you talking about? I don't...Cas, I don't have a mate." 

Now it was Cas's turn to be confused. "What about...I saw Charlie had a mark on her neck." 

Dean's face fell. "Oh." He realized. "I... _oh_. Cas, me and Charlie are close but, she's not my mate. Her wife's name is Dorothy. She works in a tattoo shop downtown. Dorothy's sister is pretty sick at the moment so she takes care of her in the hospital by her parlor while Charlie works here. It's been pretty tough on Charlie, being apart so often. But Dorothy's going to move in to the station once her sister gets better." Dean's eyes were wide. "Cas, I..."

Cas dipped his head in shame. "Oh." 

"It's just a misunderstanding." Dean piped up hastily. "And I...I wouldn't say my life is perfect either. And I _do_ want you in it." 

Cas stood still a moment, not sure what to do as he searched the ground, his eyes flitting back and forth. "Why?" 

"Have you ever felt like...I don't know, like you were...uh, meant to meet somebody?" Dean asked, and for the first time Cas felt like it was somewhat shyly. Not very typical of an Alpha male. 

Dean thought about when he'd turned the corner and the beams of his headlights had fallen on him, a man crumpled up on the ground there like he'd fallen from the sky, like he was a goddamn fallen angel. Dean had parked the car and stared for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest as his hands gripped onto the steering wheel. His jaw had been hanging open just slightly, each quickened breath tickling against his parted lips. The man in the road had stirred slightly, and Dean had seen his face. And something happened...just something. Dean couldn't explain if he tried. 

Cas finally met Dean's eyes, dumbstruck. 

"Get in, Cas, it's freezing out here." Dean looked away in embarrassment and patted the car once again. "We all fuck up sometimes. I know I've had my fair share." 

Without a word, Cas circled around and opened the back seat door, slipping into the warmth of the car and shivering, stretching out and laying down across the leather. Dean got out just as swiftly and opened up the trunk.

 _Oh, no._ Cas thought.

 _Please, no_ \- Cas was immediately seized with fear as he heard him rummaging around back there. He was getting a condom on, wasn't he? He'd found him on this back road in the pitch black and no one would be on this road for another couple of hours. No one would see them. Dean was going to take him and pin him stomach-down and fuck him hard and rough as his chin would rub, burn up against the leather seats. He'd come with a grunt and a few more thrusts, then he'd snap the condom off and throw it in the woods and start the car engine again and tell him if he told anybody he'd-

"Cas?" Dean asked, his eyes wide and concerned. "Jesus, buddy, you're shaking like a leaf." He unfolded the blanket he'd taken from the trunk and stretched it out over him. "Here. I'll get the heat on in no time, all right?"

Cas nodded, trembling, a few whimpers escaping his throat. He felt the pinpricks of tears in his eyes and he shut them tight. He couldn't believe he'd lost his trust that easily, when the fear came creeping back in it had been _that_ easy to lose all common sense.

"You're all right, Cas...hey." Dean tried to soothe him, and put his hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, I don't want you laying down back here. The pups might get squished...here we go," Dean helped to ease him back up to be sitting. Cas still didn't open his eyes.

"Jesus, you scared me." Dean admitted in a whisper. Cas felt his warm, callused square palms cup the sides of his face. He relaxed as the cold tip of Dean's nose nudged against his, pressing softly and reassuringly. "Try not to do that again, okay? Not if you can help it." He pulled away. "Let's go home now. I'm _starved_." 

Cas thought for sure the rapid pounding of his heart was going to wake up his sons. He looked out the window at the expanse of black so that Dean wouldn't see his glowing cheeks. 

"What was it?" Cas asked softly after a few minutes of silence, with nothing but the purr of the engine. 

"Mm?" 

"Your big fuck up. What was it?" Cas asked. Dean had been blunt with him before when he'd asked about why he'd decided to keep his pups alive, he felt like he was allowed one blunt question back. 

"Oh." Dean ran his hand through his hair with a frustrated huff. "I...uh...it was a pretty nasty thing to do, Cas. But I tried other ways, you have to understand. Nothing was working. He couldn't, he just couldn't do it by himself. I _had_ to, understand?" 

"Sam." The name fell easily from his lips, and Cas was surprised he'd made the connection. "You were the one who put him in jail." 

"He was using again. So, I called the cops- my friends- to come for him. To take him away, get him clean. He knew it was me." Dean sighed, grinding his teeth. "He's thankful now. He, well, wasn't at the time." 

That was all he needed to say. Sometimes, even if someone changes their minds, what they said or what they did in the past can stick. 

"I wish I could have met you," Cas admitted in a whisper, speaking into his window and fogging it up a little bit. "Before all of this." Cas's heart ached just thinking about if Dean had met a bright-eyed guy with a firm handshake and a warm smile, not crumpled up in the road in filthy clothes smelling of soil and childbirth and blood.  

"Well, I'm meeting you now." Dean grinned, his eyes sliding to meet him in the rear view mirror. They looked dark in the low light, and they were crinkled up in the corners again. "What's the difference?"


	4. Chapter 4

Dean woke up to Cas screaming in the next room. 

" _Shidd_ ," He huffed before throwing off his covers and padding across the hall, rubbing his tired eyes. It was four o' clock in the damn morning. As much as he hated to admit it, Sam had been right. The man was kind of a mess, and the last thing he needed was a romantic relationship. Dean was a little bit irked by how well his brother could read him, even with their time spent apart. Well, that was family for you.

Dean saw two glowing tapetum lucidum orbs in a bright green color staring back at him as he squinted into the room. The wolf's deep growl rumbled loudly, vibrating Dean's chest even now. The black wolf lowered his head over the three sleeping pups, deep wrinkles folding the sides of his snout as sharp white canines flashed in the low light. 

"It's just me," Dean whispered, stepping into the room. "It was just a dream." 

Watching with his hair on end, the wolf's uninterrupted low vibrations continued as Dean crept closer, finally kneeling down in front of him and taking the sides of his face into his palms once again. "You're safe here, see?" Dean prompted softly, and for half a second he flashed his vulnerable his throat to the wolf. He then pressed his nose to the cold, wet one, putting himself in an extremely vulnerable position- Cas could bite off his entire face in one fell swoop if he wanted to.

The wet nose underneath the tip of Dean's changed to one that was warm and pliable, and Cas fell into his waiting embrace. 

"You're all good," Dean cooed softly, holding his bicep and tracing his thumb in a gentle arch rhythmically back and forth as Cas buried his face in his shoulder. "You're fine." 

"They smell like _them,_ sometimes." Cas wept. "I'll get a whiff of my own children and it's suddenly _them_. Their fathers- the scent makes its way into my dreams, Dean...I..." He clung to him desperately like a child.

"We can talk about it, if you want." Dean suggested softly. "Let's go make you some tea, okay? I don't think it would be a good idea to go back to sleep just yet." 

Cas nodded softly and Dean took a blanket off the twin bed, which Cas had yet to sleep in in favor of the doggie bed, and wrapped it around his shoulders. 

The two of them sat across from one another at a small, round white table as they waited for the teakettle to whistle. Castiel played nervously with his empty mug in his hands, the dry teabag filled with chamomile inside. Dean was going for the Earl Grey- he had a shift at 5:30 with Charlie, anyway. That was about all Dean had told him until the two of them were very quiet. 

"Sammy's coming home soon." Dean cleared his throat and began, hating this icy silence that had frozen over the two of them as they waited. "I'm picking him up the day after tomorrow, in the morning." 

"I'm excited to hear that, Dean." Cas replied softly. "I'd very much like to meet your brother." 

"He's smart as hell," Dean continued. "I think you two would get along pretty well." 

"Mm." Cas hummed softly, still not looking up from the bag resting at the bottom of his mug. "What did I say about compliments?" His tone of voice made something in Dean's chest ache.

"Oh, c'mon. That wasn't a compliment. Not necessarily." Dean felt a bit irked. Come on, why shouldn't Cas except a compliment every once in a while. 

"It was offhand. You think I'm _smart_." Cas sneered the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth, keeping his head lowered and only talking into his cup once more. "I'm _not_ smart, Dean, or I would have figured a way out of there faster. I would have figured out a way to leave before...before I _talked_." He crumpled up into his arms on the table and hid his face away. Dean didn't hesitate to place his palm on his head of black hair. 

"Tell me about it," Dean prompted softly. "You can trust me." 

They poured their tea but didn't even notice as it grew cold in their palms. Cas told Dean how Gabriel was all he had, and then he died. How all he'd wanted to do was drop school and train until he could capture who had killed his older brother, and how everyone respected how hard he'd worked for his position. He said how he'd gotten a blow to the head and was stuck in the concrete closet when he woke up. It started with torture, he'd explained. 

"I wish I could say I'd never cracked. I was stubborn, toward the beginning. But God, Dean, it was every single day that they'd come in and hurt me, so badly..." Cas explained softly. "I _did_. I gave them names. Anything to get them to stop." 

"Dave MacLeod," Dean began softly, beginning to piece it together. "Emily Forsythe." 

"Yes," Cas began softly, a tear streaking down his cheek. "It's because of me. It's because of me that they're dead." 

"No one's blaming you here, Cas." Dean spoke up defensively. He reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. " _No one_. Got it?" 

"Right." Cas said, unconvinced. He stood up and avoided Dean's eyes. "I don't feel so well, Dean, I'm going to go and lie down again." 

"Cas- please, just...it's okay. You were being _tortured_ , okay, you can't blame yourself." Dean held onto his arm, trying to keep him there with him. 

"Would you be saying that if Dave was your brother? Or if Emily was your mate?" He said acidly, and was now reaching to hold his stomach. "Goodnight, Dean." 

Dean took his empty mug and brought it to the sink to wash, sighing. Jesus, Cas was a project. He just knew he was a good guy underneath that weight he kept on his shoulders. He knew he didn't mean to be so testy and snappy with him. Dean ran water over the two mugs and just daydreamed about when Sammy would come home again. Then, he realized something. 

 _Them_ , Dean thought. _Not he._  

Cas had never referred to the pup's father as a he. _Them_? Dean thought again. The mug slipped from his hand and clinked to the bottom of the sink, a small chip flying off of the porcelain lip. 

"Holy shit." Dean mumbled. Now that he thought about it, he distinctly remembered Cas saying 'fathers'. Could it really have been _both_? It was possible, wasn't it? With such long estrus and heat cycles, it was perfectly capable of conceiving those three pups at slightly different times. "Jesus Christ." Dean had to reach up and cover his eyes with his palm. "Oh, Christ."  

 _Oh, Cas_. Dean thought, and leaning over the sink at around 5 in the morning, and he tried very hard to fight off the tears forming in his own throat. 

* * *

 

"Cas?" Dean dipped his head into his bedroom, after his cruise with Charlie but he wasn't there. Dean wanted to talk more things out with him, for some reason he felt like he needed to apologize. He was only saying what he knew Cas wanted to hear. He wished the two of them could just _talk_. He just wanted to understand. 

Three fluffy lumps were sleeping soundly among wrinkled up blankets, so at least Dean knew he couldn't be far. He'd never leave those pups. He heard the water running in the bathroom, and the soft sound of sobs. He felt a spike of adrenaline almost immediately. His stomach. He'd said there had been something wrong with his stomach earlier this morning, hadn't he? 

"Cas- _oh,_ " Dean fell forward and slumped against the bathroom door, his eyes rolling back into his head. That _smell_. Holy mother of God, _that fucking smell._ He rested his temple against the wood of the door, he was already sweating. A bulge strained against his pants, and he tried to steady his breathing as his eyes fluttered, his legs crumpled up underneath him from right where he'd slumped down. 

"Dean- there's...there's something wrong..." Cas whimpered from behind the door. 

"Cas," Dean panted, his eyes still fluttering at the scent. "Listen to me very carefully. You have to lock this door. _Now_ ," He growled, his instincts beginning to take over. There was a werewolf in unadulterated heat just about five feet away, and Dean _wanted_. He panted and flattened his palm against the door, slumped further down the door. 

"I don't think I can move." Cas whimpered. "I'm bleeding...there's so much..." 

Dean could smell the sharp tang of iron mixing in with the heavy perfume of pheromones as well. His heart raced- both the effect of his scent in heat and worrying about what was wrong with him. 

"Lock the door, Cas. Please." Dean pleaded, very lupine-sounding whines forcing their way up his throat. His hand scrabbled against the painted wood of the door, his nails scratching loudly. God, he wanted to just bury himself in everything that was Cas, pump into him until both of them were so sore they couldn't even move, kiss him until his lips bled. He didn't trust himself enough to even stand up.

" _God_ ," Dean moaned, palming at his growing erection and letting out more soft growls and whines. He'd never smelled any pheromones like Cas's before. He'd never been effected this badly, like he'd literally taken a punch to the gut. The urge to transform into his wolf form was itching underneath his skin, and his nose was filled with the scent. His head swam and with a small knock his head fell back against the wood door. God, he _wanted_. The position of his body slumped with his back to the door was like a rag doll, he couldn't risk trying to stand up. He had no idea what he'd do. 

Finally, he heard the distinct click of the latch in the door. He sighed in relief, knowing that he couldn't get in there now. That Cas would be safe. 

"Dean..." Cas's voice was soft and nervous through the door. 

"I'm going to go and get help, okay?" Dean was shaking when he slowly began to stand up. "Cas, I'm...I can't come anywhere near you. For a little while. Nothing personal, all right?" Another fierce urge passed through him like a wave, and his hand was shaking, it had shot out and clamped so hard on the doorknob he thought he actually might crush it. 

"Please hurry," Cas whispered. Dean finally managed to tear himself away, stumbling to snatch up his cell phone. He was still breathing hard. It took him a few tries as he fumbled with the buttons to get it right. 

She picked up after a few rings. 

"Ellen," Dean breathed in relief. He stretched out on the couch, trying to regulate his breathing again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thank God. Look, can you come down here? It's Cas- uh, that Novak guy who's been on the news and staying with us here at the station. He's not in that great shape, something's...something' s wrong with him. Omega stuff." 

"Hold everything. I'm coming." Ellen snapped quickly. "I'll be there in ten minutes. I'm getting into the car now." Dean didn't doubt it, since he heard the _whomp_ of a door slamming shut from the other end. "It is something to do with his heat cycles?" 

Dean huffed out a nervous laugh. "Uh, yeah. _I'll_ say." 

"Dean Winchester, if I hear anything about you even laying a finger on that poor child I will-"

"Ellen, no." Dean growled. Why was he still so out of breath?! "No, I...I mean, the urge was intense but...no. _Hell_ no." 

"Good." She replied curtly. "Do not go near him until I get there. I mean it." 

"Yes, ma'am." Dean replied softly. The line went dead, and he sighed in relief and let the couch swallow him a little more, sinking back into it and closing his eyes. The amount of power Cas's scent held over him terrified him. He couldn't recall a memory of a heat that destabilizing, and he'd been with plenty of women (and a few Omega men). Did this mean Cas was a more eligible mate for him? What was going on? 

When Ellen finally got there, Dean was nervously pacing in the kitchen, gripping his hair and grinding his teeth. Now that the effects of his scent in heat had finally worn off, Dean's panic had gripped him. He'd smelled a significant amount of blood in there, too. And Omegas weren't supposed to go into heat immediately after giving birth. The body needed time to recover, to rebound. _Cas_...

"He's in the bathroom. The one right across from my bedroom." Dean explained immediately, his eyes wide and his heart racing as he jabbed a finger in that direction. "Ellen, God, please tell me he'll be all right..." 

"Calm down, Dean." Ellen took him by the upper arm and lead him back to the couch. "Lie down. You're going to give yourself a panic attack if you keep on like this." Dean obeyed, curling up on his side, but his hands still jittered. 

"Oh, hun." Ellen lay her palm comfortingly against the side of his face that wasn't pressed against the couch and smudged her soft thumb in a small arch along his cheek. "I'm here now. You've done all you can." Dean closed his eyes and tried to breathe deeply. 

"Just stay out here." Ellen smudged her warm thumb over his freckles one more time and leaned down to press the tip of her nose to his. Dean was practically her son- she loved him like he was, anyway. "You're a good man." 

"Just take care of him." Dean said, his eyes still folded shut. "He didn't deserve for this to happen, not after everything." 

Ellen rapped on the bathroom door. "Castiel? I'm Ellen, Dean's mom. Well, a surrogate one, anyway. You can open up now, honey." 

The door opened with a slight squeal. Cas was crumpled to the floor, huddled into himself with his arms around his knees, bloodied towels were strewn about and pieces of food matter floated in the toilet like yellow pond scum. His eyes were glassy and terrified as he leaned weakly against the outside of the bathtub, where even more puke had splashed along the sides and left a thin colored residue and was now puddling by the drain. 

Ellen crouched down and felt for a fever. Cas's eyelids fluttered and he groaned, leaning into her touch. 

"I'm sorry you had to meet me like this," He croaked, struggling to open his eyes again. 

She cupped his face, similarly to what Dean had done the first day he'd found him on the road. It must have been a parenting thing he'd inherited. "Don't say you're sorry. I feel awful this is happening to you, sweetheart. Just tell me what's wrong." 

"It started this morning...it was painful and I was getting cranky, I...I think I'm in heat. My family members are usually late bloomers so I haven't had very many yet." Cas explained shamefully. "I don't know much about pregnancy, but I only delivered a week ago and I didn't think it would come again so soon." Ellen ran her fingers through his damp hair and rubbed softly at his cheek, prompting him to say more. "There's so much blood, and I...I was sick." He dipped his head in shame. 

"Well, the good news is you don't have to go back to the hospital. I'll explain everything. I'll run some water and we'll get you all cleaned off, okay baby?" Ellen's mothering skills were back and hitting her full force. She flushed the toilet and made sure to clean out the inside of the bathtub thoroughly, throwing all the soiled towels in the corner and taking more clean ones from the cupboard. 

His high levels of stress had triggered a very early onset of his heat, and because of the chemical imbalance his body had been thrown off- triggering the sensation of morning sickness, and his recent pregnancy was the reason he was bleeding. Ellen let him sit in the tub, curled up around his aching stomach as she gently ran the handheld nozzle over his skin and through his hair. 

" _Cas,_ " Dean sighed in relief, hopping up off the couch as he saw him emerge wrapped up in a fluffy white towel, beads of water dripping off from the ends of his dark hair. He stopped himself after a few steps- shit, he'd almost forgotten. He just really wanted to wrap that stupid werewolf up in a bear hug right about now, and kiss his hair and hold the base of his neck and tell him how relieved he was to hear he was okay. 

"He's fine. Not a fun experience, but not life-threatening either." Ellen explained from across the room, holding Cas's shoulder comfortingly. "I also gave him some of Jo's heat-dampeners. Since he's never used them before it will take a few hours for them to work on him, all right?" 

Dean nodded curtly. "Okay. I understand."

"You'd better not come near him for the rest of the night. Just to be safe." 

Dean bobbed his head again, just once. He locked his jaw. Damn, this really sucked. Right when Cas needed him, his damned Alpha hormones had to go and mess it all up. 

"I'm, uh...glad you're okay, Cas." Dean sputtered. He hated how rooted to the spot he felt, and his hands curled into frustrated fists. 

Cas looked down at the floor in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I worried you so much. I'm sorry I snapped at you this morning. We can...we can talk about this tomorrow, right?" 

"Uh...right. Yeah." Dean scrubbed at the back of his head. "I'll make some lunch and I can have one of the girls bring it over to you." 

"Okay." Cas replied softly, hanging his head in utter shame. Ellen tipped his head toward her instead and kissed him on the temple. 

"Any friend of Dean's is a friend of mine. Call me if you need anything. I mean it." Ellen squeezed his shoulder. "Feel better, okay?" 

Dean went to the kitchen and pulled out all his materials for a few sandwiches so he could channel all his frustration into preparing them instead of thinking about something else, while Cas curled up in his bed with his pups and tried to rest. 

"Bobby," Ellen got on her phone immediately after closing the front door. Her brown eyes were alight, and she was smiling. "Bobby, listen." She repeated. "I believe I've just met our new stepson. _Yes_ , I'm sure of it." 


	5. Chapter 5

Charlie and Cas cuddled up on the couch, the fluffy black wolf rested his muzzle over her legs and Charlie cradled his head close in her lap with two arms, every so often gently dragging her fingers over the top of his head and down below his ears. She was beaming- it wasn't every day she got to make a new friend. Of course she loved her mate Dorothy and her gal-pals Jo and Jess, and the idea of having another person to tease around with was exciting. Cas seemed to be saying an unspoken sorry for being somewhat rude to her when he'd thought Dean had been her mate in the beginning.

"Oh, my gosh!" Charlie squeaked excitedly, ruffling the wolf's head excitedly as an actor appeared on screen. "Our favorite, Cas!" 

Dean watched from the kitchen table, where he very grumpily ate his dinner. It had only been around two hours, so he still needed to keep a distance away from Cas, just to be safe. _This is stupid_ , he found himself bitterly thinking. _I'm human- well, human-ish. I can control myself!_ He huffed and stuck another forkful of peas into his mouth. _Stupid hormones_. 

"Oh, she is so cute!" Charlie squeaked, absent-mindedly running her hand over Cas's dark ears. "I hope she wins." She whispered. 

"The Bachelorette?" Dean spoke up and rolled his eyes. "Omegas are impossible." 

"It's not just a show for omegas!" Charlie shot back. "In fact, Sam _loves_ to watch it with us. Whenever I call him he begs me to tell him what happened. In detail." 

"Oh, is that so?" Dean finally smirked. Now, _that_ was something he could use. 

"Yup," Charlie laughed, popping a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. "He says he can't watch it there or else he'll get all his high-and-mighty prison status stripped from him. What he is, Prison King by now?" She smirked from around the spoon. 

"Holy shit," Dean coughed and almost choked on one of his pieces of steak. "This is amazing."

"Once you're done with dinner you should hit the hay. Sam's gonna need to be picked up pretty early, you know, and the drive isn't exactly local. Also, we're PMSing. So leave us alone with our ice cream and tears." Charlie scooped out another portion of ice cream with a much larger spoon and held it in front of Cas. 

"Fine," Dean huffed, placing his dish in the sink with somewhat of a loud clatter. "You're both extremely rude." 

"See ya," Charlie said cheerfully, and Dean really wished Cas wasn't sitting right on top of her so he could grind in a good noogie. 

"You using Cas as a shield is a low blow, Bradbury." Dean teased as he went down the hallway to his room. 

"Your _face_ is a low blow," Charlie shot right back, taking Cas's paw and holding it upwards in the air so she could high-five it. 

* * *

Dean's thumbs drummed out an uneven beat on the steering wheel. The penitentiary was still about forty minutes drive away, but Dean was antsier than ever. Could they ever go back to being the same brothers they'd always been after something like this? Sam said he'd forgiven him, but did he _really_? 

_What if he still hates me?_

Dean felt numb as he went through regulations and paperwork, his fingers fumbling over the pens handed to him and a cold sweat was dripping down the nape of his neck. His foot tapped on and on against the linoleum floor as he waited for Sam to change back into the clothes he arrived in. Panic seized Dean like hundreds of talons and claws. 

"Dean," It was Sam's huffy, almost breathless voice, this time it wasn't warped by a phone line. 

Dean finally shot up out of his chair and strode forward, not wasting a second to whip his arms around Sam and bury his face in his shoulder. His old blue, grey and white flannel smelled incredibly old and musty but he couldn't care less. He almost couldn't believe it when he felt arms wrap right back around him and his big palms press hard onto his back. 

"Sammy," Dean choked, withdrawing his arms to hold both sides of his face in his palms instead. It was much more concave than when he'd seen him last, with sharper cheekbones and hollowed cheeks. Shiny tears collected in Sam's lower eyelids, falling without him even blinking and smoothing down his face in streaks. 

"Aw, kid." Dean drew forward and pressed his nose hard onto Sam's. Sam rattled out a shaky breath and squeezed Dean a bit tighter, both faces pressed up against one another for another brief moment. Dean felt his eyes start to water and his nose prickled.

"The pack wasn't the same without you," Dean said when he pulled away. "I missed you, brother." 

Sam opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. "Hmpf." He croaked, his throat squeezing with sobs and too waterlogged to say much of anything. He scrubbed his hand down his face and rubbed his running eyes hard, clearly embarrassed at having lost the ability to even speak. 

"We can leave?" Dean barked to the person behind the counter.

"You're free to go," He replied, bored. These reunions probably happened to him everyday.  

Dean snaked his arm around Sam's shoulder and swiftly began to lead him out of the room, even though he was out now he didn't want his brothers' "great big prison rep" being decimated at the last second. He took some pride in his brother for building that up, as much as he'd hate to admit. 

Dean had thought about playing the joke of pretending Sam had to ride in the back and he'd jokingly push his head down into it, but he thought he'd better not. Sam sniffled next to him, eyes trained on the ground. 

"...You need a tissue?" Dean asked as they neared the car. 

"Shuddup," Sam sniffed, running the back of his hand over his eyes. "...Yes," He tacked on meekly. 

Dean unlocked the car and shuffled around in the glove compartment while Sam slid into his seat, and handed him a bright red hankerchief with paisleys. Sam mopped up his eyes and blew loudly into it before crumpling it up in his hand. Dean watched as he tried to hide his swollen eyes behind his long brown hair. 

"This is embarrassing," Sam finally managed to squeeze out, dabbing at his nose once again. "I told myself I wasn't going to cry. I never thought I'd lose my shit like this." 

"Yeah, you should be _sooo_ embarassed," Dean started the ignition and grinned. "Mr. Prison King." 

"Fuck off," Sam smiled through his tears, hiding his face in his hands and laughing. 

"Damn, did I miss you." Dean found himself saying out loud without really meaning to. "Having you here hurt so bad." 

 "I meant what I said on the phone, you know." Sam spoke up softly, wringing his hands in his lap and he still was stooped over on himself uncomfortably. "Thanks." 

Dean pulled swiftly out of the lot, trying to appear like he was focused only on the road. "Yeah, well." Dean replied gruffly and shrugged. "You shouldn't be thanking me. I turned on a member of my own pack, and it was all my fault you had to rot away in that place, so, just...stop. I don't want to hear it. What I did was..." 

"You helped me, Dean. A lot. Hell, who knows what could have happened to me." Sam pointed his nose out the window instead. "I could have wound up like Dad with an overdose. I almost did, a few times." He scratched at his arm nervously. "I thought the withdrawal was gonna kill me. If I wasn't in a place where they fed me and checked up on me...but look, the best part was I had no access to it anymore. Whenever I tried to quit I wimped out once the withdrawal symptoms hit and crawled right back to it." 

"I should have stepped in more. We could have gotten you clean without something like this on your record, God I was being so _stupid_ -" Dean strangled the steering wheel.

Sam put his hand on Dean's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "Stop it, Dean. I owe you everything for this." 

Dean sucked in a deep breath, and tears flooded hot into his eyes. "I only did it because I love you." He croaked. 

"I know," Sam replied, just letting Dean get it all out for once. Sam squeezed his shoulder, hoping to comfort him. 

"I'm so sorry, Sammy. I'm so fucking sorry." Dean swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I-I didn't know what to do. I couldn't lose you like we lost Mom and Dad, you were all I had left..." 

"I know," Sam repeated. "I understand." 

The two of them drove for moment in silence, with only the white noise of air rushing over the exterior of the car to fill the silence. 

"...Can we have lasagna tonight?" Sam asked, almost shyly. 

"Fuck yeah we can make you lasagna." Dean growled through the water in his throat. "I'll make that shit out of every kind of cheese available in the dairy isle and make my own damn organic gluten-whatever-the-fuck-free tomato sauce too. From scratch." 

"I'll hold you to it. And you kept your other word to me, right?" 

"What word?"

"You haven't fucked that Cas guy?"

"Wha-? No! No I haven't done that!" Dean's face had reddened fast and he subconsciously ducked closer to the steering wheel. "You can- you know what- screw you, Sam!"

Sam was roaring in his seat by then. Dean couldn't help but feel the least bit reassured- just like old times, the good the bad and the ugly. Just how he wanted it. 

 

 


End file.
